Peter Morris wrote:

> On Sat, 03 Jan 2004 10:12:10 -0600, WiScottsin wrote:
> how about newcastle brown ale... similar taste to guinness but lighter.
>

Newcastle was what i ended up in the end using and it turned out mighty
fine.

Ingredients

900g/2lb braising steak, such as blade or chuck, cut into 5cm (2in) chunks
25g/1 oz plain flour
5 tbsp sunflower oil
25g/1oz unsalted butter
225g/8 oz chestnut mushrooms, quartered
2 onions, thinly sliced
½ tsp sugar
300ml/10fl oz Newcastle Brown Ale
300ml/10fl oz beef broth
thyme, 3 sprigs
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
500g/1lb 2oz fresh puff pastry
1 small egg, beaten, for brushing
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Season the pieces of steak with salt and pepper, then toss with the
flour and shake off but reserve the excess. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a
flameproof casserole or large saucepan and brown the meat in 2 batches
until well coloured on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add another tbsp of the oil, half the butter and the mushrooms to the
pan and fry briefly. Set aside with the beef. Add the rest of the oil
and butter, the onions and sugar to the pan and fry over a medium-high
heat for 20 minutes, until the onions are nicely browned. Stir in the
reserved flour, then gradually add the Newcastle Brown Ale and stock and
bring to the boil, stirring.
3. Return the beef and mushrooms to the pan with the thyme, bay leaves,
Worcestershire sauce, ¾ tsp of salt and some pepper, then cover and
simmer for 1½ hours, until the meat is just tender.
4. Lift the meat, mushrooms and onions out of the liquid with a slotted
spoon and put into a deep 1.2 litre (2 pint) pie dish. Bring the liquid
to the boil and boil rapidly until reduced to 600 ml (1 pint). Remove
and discard the bay leaves and thyme twigs, adjust the seasoning if
necessary and pour into the pie dish. Stir everything together well and
leave to cool completely.
5. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Push a pie funnel into the
centre of the mixture.
6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is 2.5cm
(1in) larger than the top of the pie dish. Cut off a thin strip from
around the edge, brush it with a little beaten egg and press it on to
the rim of the dish. Brush it with more egg, cut a small cross into the
centre of the larger piece of pastry and lay it over the dish so that
the funnel pokes through the cross. Press the edges together well to
seal. Trim away the excess overhanging pastry and crimp the edges
between your fingers to give it an attractive finish. Chill for 10
minutes to relax the pastry.
7. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and bake for 30 to 35
minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is
bubbling hot.